Sep 23, 2016

Hosting successful twitter chats - Brittany @ Brittany's Book Rambles || LITHW16

Hey book worms!

Before we start the post, I'd like to remind you all that the #LITHW16 twitter chat will be today at 12 PM EST! It's the last chat for this year's event, so don't forget to join in!!!

That being said, let's focus on the topic at hand, which coincidentally is twitter chats! :D Twitter chats have always been a really amazing way to learn, connect and have fun. Hosting them is definitely a new experience. Some pull it off so effortlessly, but there's so much going inside hosting a chat. So today, we have Brittany who hosts the super exciting #BBTC, to share some tips and insider info.





Mishma, thank you so much for inviting me to be a part of this awesome feature! Today, I'm going to be talking all about Twitter Chats!

TWITTER CHATS 101

When I first joined Twitter, I kept seeing something called "Twitter Chats" pop up on my feed. They seemed exciting, fun and daunting, all at once. I was definitely a little overwhelmed when I finally participated in my first chat. I didn't understand how to keep track of the questions, and I left the chat totally frazzled. Here are some things I learned through participating in and hosting many chats throughout the past few years!

WHY CHATS?


Twitter chats are an awesome way to learn new things, make new friends, and network! Chats normally last around an hour to an hour and a half. The moderator or host of a twitter chat will ask questions or give prompts (ie: Q1, Q2, Q3, etc...) that chat participants must respond to or answer (ie: A1, A2, A3). Additionally, the more you talk to other people, the better. So answer your own question and then scroll through the hashtag (#) and respond to other people's responses that you find interesting or funny! This is an amazing way to meet new people on Twitter.

THE #HASHTAG


Now this might seem obvious to some of you, but I totally didn't understand the concept of a hashtag when I first started participating in Twitter Chats. It's so incredibly important to include it in every single tweet! For example, the chat hashtag might be something like #BOOKCHATGALORE. Following that specific hashtag (#) will show you every single tweet from the chat, and it will allow you to never miss a question by the chat host. However, there's something else that made Twitter Chats so much easier for me to follow once I discovered it...

TWEETDECK


I don't know about other people, but for me, Tweetdeck is a godsend. I can't keep up with Twitter Chats on my phone for the life of me, so I stick to my laptop. There, I use an awesome website called Tweetdeck.com, where you can log-in using your Twitter username. Tweetdeck is actually owned by Twitter, so it's totally safe to use! It allows you to organize your Twitter mentions and DMs, follow multiple hashtags in different columns, and is absolutely crucial (at least for me) to be able to keep up with a chat.

HAVE FUN

Keep in mind, a Twitter Chat isn't a test. Showed up late? Jump right in! Don't know how to answer a question? Skip it and respond to other people's answers! A Twitter Chat is supposed to be a fun and easy way to make new friends, so don't stress. It will get easier as you do more chats, and before you know it, you'll be a seasoned pro.

AWESOME CHATS!

Here are some amazing Twitter Chats hosted by some lovely people!



  • #BHPCHAT hosted by the awesome Sarah (@thebooktraveler) and Emily (@Emren)! It's a Bloghop Party Extraordinare!


  • #K8Chat is a publishing related chat hosted by Kate Tilton (@K8Tilton).


  • #bookhunt is both a chat and a scavenger hunt for book lovers, hosted by Rachel (@yaperfectionist)!


  • #EmojiGang is a random chat all about emojis, hosted by the amazing Becky (@Becky_LoveDemi)!


  • #BBTC (Not to toot my own horn, but I (@bbookrambles) do host a book-themed twitter chat almost every Saturday night at 8PM Eastern Standard Time. Discover new and upcoming books, see some spoiler-free teasers, and possibly win some cool prizes!)


  • TWITTER CHAT CALENDAR


    Never miss out on another Twitter Chat again! Emily has an awesome and handy Twitter Chat calendar here!

    THAT'S ALL, FOLKS!

    Thank you again, Mishma, for having me on your blog. I hope some of this information was interesting or informative for you guys! ^_^

    xoxo Brittany



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